August 25, 2026: India’s Senior Men’s and Women’s Rugby Sevens teams are set to take on Asia’s leading Sevens nations as Round 1 of Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2026 gets underway in Suzhou, China, on 29-30 August.
The two-round Series brings together 24 of Asia’s leading men’s and women’s national teams, with Round 1 in Suzhou followed by the concluding round in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in October. The competition will also provide valuable high-performance exposure ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.
The Senior Men’s Team enter the Series after securing promotion from the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy in 2025. India have been drawn in Pool A alongside Japan, United Arab Emirates and Singapore.
Senior Men’s Head Coach Paul Albaladejo said, “CASA 7s was a strong start to the season, but the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series is a different level. Making our debut at the highest level in Asia is a big challenge, and that is exactly what we want. We know we’ll be tested, but we’re ready to step up, compete hard and embrace the opportunity.”
The Senior Women’s Team will enter its second consecutive season in the Series after rising from tenth to sixth overall in 2025. Following their debut campaign last year, the team will look to build on that experience, with South African Paul Delport continuing as Head Coach for his second season.
The Women have been drawn in Pool D alongside defending champions Japan, United Arab Emirates and Iran, with the tournament providing another opportunity to test themselves against Asia’s leading Sevens programmes ahead of the Asian Games.
Reflecting on the challenge ahead, Delport said: “We’ll be aiming to improve on last year’s ranking, while recognising that the teams competing for those positions are world-class. We know the challenge ahead, and we’re ready to give our best and continue building on the progress we made last year.”
Rugby India President Rahul Bose said: “The Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series is the most important platform for both our teams to rise to be amongst the top few countries in Asia. The Women have built a strong foundation from last year, while the Men’s promotion has opened a new chapter for the programme. We look forward to seeing both teams compete with confidence and pride in Suzhou.”
Fans can watch every match of the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series live on Asia Rugby’s YouTube channel and on RugbyPass TV.
The Indian teams will depart for Suzhou on 26 August and return on 31 August. The second and final round of the Series will take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 17-18 October, where the 2026 champions will be crowned.
Final Squads
Senior Men’s Team: Mohit Khatri (C), Sumit Kumar Roy (VC), Ajay, Aryan Satish Dixit, Asis Sabar, Deepak Kumar Punia, Deshraj Singh, Ganesh Dhangada Majhi, Hitesh Dagar, Javed Hussein, Karan Rajbhar, Shivam Shukla, Shridhar Shrikant Nigade.
Senior Women’s Team: Shikha Yadav (C), Dumuni Marndi (VC), Amandeep Kaur, Arti Kumari, Bhumika Shukla, Chanel Crizzle, Guriya Kumari, Kalyani Patil, Mama Naik, Nirmalya Rout, Sandhya Rai, Sandhyarani Tudu, Ujjwala Ghuge.